Our Love is as Painful as Reaching Death
by Nightmare Key
Summary: Natsu and Lucy are a couple but when tragedy strikes, Lucy is left alone. Why did this happen to her? Will Sting comfort her or will he be the reason why Lucy can never be the same way again? Warning: The story gets darker with every chapter.
1. Chapter 1

**Nightmare Key here! ;) I'm writing a new story. I know I haven't finished writing my other two stories but don't worry. I won't neglect them. It's just there are too many ideas in my head and I had to let it out. Anyway, here's chapter 1. Enjoy**

**Disclaimer: I'm just going to put this in the first chapter so that I won't have to put it up for the rest. Hiro Mashima owns Fairy Tail.**

_"Come on, hurry up! Natsu's waiting for us." Lucy waved from the distance. Her smile as radiant as her yellow jumper in the morning sun. Waving him to hurry, she twirled around and made clickety-clack noises against the pavement. Her hair reached only to her shoulders and it was tied into two pigtails. _

_She stopped at the steps going down to the playground and saw Natsu perched onto the monkey-bars. He had not seen her yet. She then felt a heavy weight on her back and before she realized what was happening, she had lost her balance. She managed to turn herself around to find out who had pushed her. A scream was ripped out from her as the ground caught her and blood obscured her vision. She reached out towards his retreating form before losing consciousness._

Lucy jolted up, her breaths coming out in shallow pants. How many times did she have to replay this nightmare? Her blonde hair was glued to her face and she was sweating buckets. Her heart was beating too fast and breathing properly proved to be difficult. Her hand instinctively went to the scar near her hairline. A hand patted her gently on the back and she dove back into the covers, into his inviting embrace. The warmth radiating from his body made her feel comfortable, made her feel treasured. She looked into his eyes, obsidian meeting her chocolate ones. She reached up to ruffle his shocking pink hair and he leaned it to her touch. Despite not wearing anything, she felt as warm as ever.

Natsu gave her his signature grin and began kneading her breast. She let out a moan and arched her back, giving him more access. He tweaked one nipple and sucked the other. Moisture pooled between her legs and she begged Natsu to touch her there. To ease the fire burning inside her. He crawled on top of Lucy's delicate frame, lapping her breast going down south. He licked her everywhere and was about to go to his favorite place when Lucy moved away from him, dragging the blanket with her. She wrapped it around herself and sticked her tongue out at Natsu.

"Come on Luce…I was about to enjoy myself. You're such a tease." Natsu huffed out a breath and crossed his leg over the other.

"For your information, how many times did we do it last night? You're still not satisfied? We should go or we'll be late for school." Lucy sighed and made her way to the bathroom, leaving Natsu to tug on his pants.

She came out looking refreshed and ready for another wonderful day. She tied her hair into a right-sided ponytail and let the rest of it fall to below her shoulders. Since Natsu liked her hair long, she decided to grow it out. She took great lengths in maintaining it and making it reach that long especially after that accident. Her fringe ending above her right eyebrow managed to hide the scar that she had gotten. It was not that visible but she felt more comfortable when she did not have to be reminded about what had happened that day.

"Luce, Sting's coming for a visit. He really wanted to come for your birthday. Shoot! That was supposed to be a surprise. Sting will be really pissed. It can't be helped, I'll just apologize. Since I ruined his surprise, I'll ruin mine too. Luce, give me your hand."

"What for? This isn't some kind of trick, is it?" Lucy said, cautiously giving her hand to Natsu.

"Don't worry, it's not. Happy Birthday Luce! It's early but I want to give it to you now." Natsu took out a ring from his pocket and inserted it onto Lucy's ring finger. He brought it up to his lips and kissed it. "I promise that no matter what happens, I'll always be here for you."

Lucy felt like she was in seventh heaven. Her heart was about to burst right out of her chest. She gave him a hug and kissed the breath right out of him. The ring was silver with a delicate flower on its middle. Its intricate winding vines design on its side was magnificent. She saw their initials, NaLu, embedded on the inside of the ring. Her smile reached her ears and she ran out of the door, a hop in every step. Natsu returned her smile and followed after her.

"Natsu, you said Sting was coming right?" Lucy pasted a smile on her face but her eyes swirled with sadness so deep, she had to break eye-contact with Natsu so he would never find out how she really felt.

"Yeah! How long has it been? Eight, hmmm, no ten years. It's been so long. Remember those times when we were kids. We played around with him a lot but he moved away since he decided to go with Pops. I wanted to go with him too but I couldn't leave our mom all alone. Of course, I couldn't leave you alone too." Natsu said, his cheeks pink from his confession.

"You couldn't resist my charm, how sweet. That's why I love you so much. I'm really grateful that you're my boyfriend, you know." She could not say that she was frightened of Sting. The nightmares she's been having were because of him. The one who had pushed her. The one who had caused her scar…was Sting.

She definitely could not tell him that so she put on a smile and ignored the terrible knot in her stomach. She laughed at the jokes Natsu thought of and pretended to be her usual self. The rest of the way was filled with unending contentment and happiness. They were laughing so hard; they hardly noticed the stares people were giving them. It was as if they were the only people in the world. Their interlaced hands swinging to and fro between them.

Rows of houses passed by in a blur and they were about to reach the school. They just needed to cross the intersection. When the 'green man' flashed, Lucy pulled Natsu asking him to hurry.

The honking noise of a truck tore Lucy's attention from Natsu. She turned her head to the direction of the noise and noticed a six-wheeler truck veering from side to side. Her eyes went wide and she was rooted to the spot. Her mind went blank and she did not know how to react. She closed her eyes, too afraid to find out what would happen to her.

The next thing she knew, she was toppling forward and she scraped her knee on the concrete floor. The sudden action took her off guard and her head throbbed from the impact. _Natsu? Where was Natsu?_

She scanned her surroundings and saw a bloody figure a few meters away from her. She tried walking towards him but the injury on her leg made it difficult. Her shakiness made her stumble and she began crawling towards him instead. Her eyes sting, tears making her sight blurry. There was blood everywhere but she felt too numb to care. The only thing that occupied her mind was Natsu. The bruises on her arms did not deter her from trying to reach him. She had to get to him. Upon reaching his body, she cradled him and gently placed his head on her lap.

She knew Natsu had pushed her away and had gotten hurt in her stead. "Natsu…Natsu, wake up. Please." Lucy shaked him gently, clasping his hand as her tears fell onto his face. His hair was disheveled and it fell over his eyes. She wanted to push it away but his blood-drenched hair prevented her from doing so. She kissed him, pleading him to wake up.

He would wake up. Natsu was just playing around with her. That's right! He would open his eyes and grin at her like he always did. Her grip on his hands tightened and with every second, she realized Natsu had become ghostly white. Slipping further and further away from her. Moments ago, they were having the most fun they had had in a long while. Now, here she was crying over a lifeless Natsu. This was too unfair! Why Natsu, not her? Natsu was the kindest person she knew. He was too kind for his own good. _Please God, don't take him away from me._

"You said you'll always be here by my side. Why did you break your promise on the very day you said it, idiot!" Lucy cried onto his chest, ignoring the pulls on her shoulder by the paramedics. She'd rather die than be torn from Natsu's side. They would not be able to save him, anyway. He was no longer breathing and he had no pulse either. He was already gone. He had already left her.

**That was the 1****st**** Chapter. I'm really sorry to all Nalu fans.(Bows head a million times) Please Read and Review. Nightmare Key signing off. **


	2. Chapter 2

**Nightmare Key here! Thank you to all those who have read the 1****st**** chapter. I just started this series so please be patient with the updates. Anyway, here's Chapter 2. Enjoy. **

The day of the funeral came and Lucy watched as Natsu's family and relatives grieved for his loss. Even their classmates' faces were withdrawn and they mentioned many times how Natsu was a good friend or how he always had a smile on his face. Just like how solemn everyone seemed to be, the weather was too. Rain poured from the sky and the drip-drip of its droplets on the roof was loud but not loud enough to drown the mourners' mumblings. Murmurs of 'Why did he have to die?' and 'He was so young' filled the air. The one that affected her the most was 'He saved his girlfriend, you know?' Lucy felt like she was being choked by the pressure of those words.

She gripped her crutches tightly, the bruises on her arms throbbing but not as bad as her leg. It was placed in a cast and would take time to heal. The black dress she wore for the occasion was long-sleeved and ended before her knee making the cast visible. At the time, the pain from her injuries was far more preferable than the hollowness she felt inside. The pain of losing someone you love.

Unlike physical injuries, her mental state was worse for wear. Physical injuries would heal with time and medication but emotional injuries especially emotional loss was more difficult to counter. Medicine like Anti-depressants could help or the passage of time would do too but for how long? How long could they help her forget reality?

She did not even know why they were crying. Natsu was not dead. They'll see. He would come out from the corner and give her that grin she was used to seeing. Natsu's alive. He promised he would never leave her. He promised. He always kept his promises. He always did. He would call her like he used to. He would call her name.

Lucy.

"Natsu? I heard his voice. Natsu!" Lucy gasped, excitement coursing through her system. She started to move towards the direction of the voice. He was alive. See, he kept it after all. His promise.

The droplets from the rain pelting down on her delicate form. It would never hold her back from getting to him. She had difficulty trying to move her injured leg and winced. Every movement was laborious but for Natsu, she could do anything.

"Where are you going, Lucy?" Her blue-haired friend called after her limping frame. She had not heard Lucy's words but was worried by how Lucy was breaking apart. Lucy had not eaten or slept the past few days since Natsu's passing. She looked frail as if the wind could just snatch her away with it. The lack of sleep had caused her health to worsen and her injuries refused to heal. It's like she was doing it to herself. Like she wanted to follow Natsu, wherever he was going.

Levy McGarden's growing worry made her want to follow Lucy but a hand stopped her and she looked up to see Erza Scarlet. She shook her head and Levy could not help but hug her and cry for all she was worth. Levy knew how Natsu and Lucy loved each other but Lucy should also see that by doing this to herself, she was hurting them as well.

"Natsu…Natsu, were are you? Please show yourself."

"Lucy."

Turning around, her smile quickly turned into a frown and the intense stare of the person in front of her made her feel so small. "What's wrong, Lucy? Get yourself in the shelter."

"I was looking for Natsu. Natsu's voice was…" Lucy stuttered, looking at Sting's impassive face. He was wearing a black collared shirt paired with black pants and shoes.

"For Natsu? What are you talking about, Lucy?" Sting's hair fell to his eyes but his eyes were transfixed at her. "'Didn't Natsu die?"

"Even Sting is saying that. Natsu is…" Lucy brought the crutches closer to her body, trying to absorb strength from it. It kept her firm on her toes and was the only thing that supported her from Sting's emotionless retort.

"Lucy, Natsu is dead." Sting sighed; the umbrella he held made him look more deadly than usual.

"No, that's wrong. Natsu's not dead." Lucy said, using her arms to hug the crutches closer while her hands went to her ears, trying to block Sting's next words. She knew talking to him would hurt but she had not realized just how much.

"It was your fault that Natsu died, Lucy. It's your fault! Your fault!" Sting grabbed her shoulders, shaking her with every word. Her crutches made a loud thud on the ground but Sting's tight grip on her helped to keep her from falling. His anger now seeping out of every pore of his body. The umbrella was forgotten and Sting stood there as drenched as she was.

_It's my fault. It's my fault. It's my fault. The one who killed Natsu…is me._

"You're an idiot, Sting. I know that the best." Lucy said giving him a smile but it was obviously forced. Her eyes held a sadness that dragged him to her and it was stifling. He wanted to continue with their conversation but Lucy's eyes drooped and she was falling the next moment.

"Lu….Lucy." Sting caught her before she met contact with the ground. "How sad. I know how much Lucy loved Natsu. Even I treasured Natsu. That's why…I won't forgive you…Lucy."

"I will give you pain, upon pain, upon pain. Wait for it." Sting said, carrying Lucy and her eyes teared-up. Nightmares of her accident replayed in her dreams over and over again.

The 16 year old Lucy had her beloved Natsu, her friends and she thought it natural that her happy world would continue. On the day she turned 17, her whole world shattered and it would only continue from here on.

**That was chapter 2. I'll make sure to put up chapter 3 as soon as possible. I'm already working on it and it would not take long. Please Read and Review. Again, thanks for reading. **** Nightmare Key signing off. **


	3. Chapter 3

**Nightmare Key here! **** As I've said I have already started working on it so I would probably post it on the same day if not, the next. I'm really sorry to Nalu fans but this will be a Sticy. I know Sting's dark side came out on the previous chapter but you guys have not seen anything yet. His dark side will be unveiled as the chapter progress. Poor Lucy. Anyway, here's chapter 3. **

_Natsu, I wonder if there is anything in a world without you._

Lucy sniffled, burrowing her face even deeper into her pillow. It was already wet from her tears but she kept on crying. The knock on her door made her cease immediately. Her entire room was turned upside down. Clothes thrown all over the place. Her phone laid right beside her, a picture of Natsu and her smiling happily as its wallpaper. Photos of Natsu and her growing up lay on the bedroom floor. Some of it was crumpled into a ball and made her messy room even messier.

"Lu-chan? Isn't it about time you left your room? You haven't eaten what we left you earlier, have you? Lu-chan, we're worried about you. You haven't come to school for weeks. Even your parents are worried. Myself and Erza included. We're your friends, please talk to us." Levy said, leaning her head on Lucy's door. Listening for any sign of movement. When Lucy failed to give her the response she wanted, she sighed already expecting the silence. She had come amost everyday, trying to get Lucy out of her room but to no avail. Lucy was too stubborn for her own good. She walked away, dejected but was determined to bring Lucy back to the real world. To her daily life.

Lucy heard the stairs creak as Levy made her way down and the quietness of the house enabled her to even hear the door shut close. There was no-one in the house beside herself. Her parents were busy at work and she had become a recluse. Just because she became a shut-in does not mean that the world around her would stop moving.

That time during the funeral, she felt herself breaking into a million pieces but going to Natsu's room after regaining consciousness from Sting's up-front attack, felt much worse. She touched his bed and remembered the many times they had laid there making love and then cuddling afterwards. Sitting on the chair at his study table, she opened the drawers one by one knowing full well that she was breaking his privacy. Natsu was dead anyway. He won't mind, surely.

Opening the drawer doors and seeing the stuff she was used to seeing made her ache so badly. A note was found hidden at the very back of one of it. She took it carefully and read what was written on the outside. In Natsu's careful handwriting, he penned down 'A memo of what I intend to say to Lucy during her birthday.'

She flipped it open and read what was written inside.

-1. I love you, Lucy. I always have. Since I was young, I knew you were the only girl for me. Please accept this ring. (Too dramatic)

2. Luce, I will love only you so would you marry me when we're old enough to get married. I know I'm not the best but for you, I'll try to be. Lucy, here.

(Too Informal)

3. Luce, I'm no good with words. I just want to tell you that no matter what happens, I'll stay by your side. Now that you're 17, it's been years since I confessed to you. I know I'm not good enough for you and never will be but Lucy Heartfillia, will you do the favour of marrying me? I love you very much. Let's be together forever and ever.

(This is the one. Luce will be happy for sure!)-

_This is too much, Natsu. Why'd you have to leave? I've forgotten all about my birthday. Giving me that ring. Then, leaving me all alone. That's too much…Natsu._

She looked at her ring and tugged it off her finger. She lifted it in the air and was about to throw it. A minute passed before her hand went lax and she placed it, still gripping the ring, on her chest. _No matter how much the seventeen year old me cries and shouts, Natsu would never come back again. I know, though, that my world…isn't over._

She went to the window, tears threatening to spill once again until she noticed someone's retreating silhouette. The said person had left something outside their house gate. He glanced up and her eyes met with his. _Sting? It was Sting, right? What was he doing here?_

Lucy hauled her door open, taking the stairs two at a time. No matter what Sting said, she could take it. Probably. The thinness of her pajamas made her shiver from the cold night air and she approached the gate with caution. Sting was long gone but in his place was a single flower. A spider lily.

The same flower he had left her when they had gone separate ways those many years ago. She had always wondered why he gave her that particular flower so she borrowed a book from the library about flowers and the meanings they held. A spider lily meant never to meet again or abandonment. Long time ago, that flower had probably meant the latter but for right now, she knew the meaning was the former. The way that Natsu and her would never meet again.

"Natsu, I'm off. I have to go to school." Lucy said, a smile on her face but it still did not reach her ears. She patted the picture frame, her smiling face along with Natsu's grinning face during one of their dates filled the frame. Their smiles so bright, Lucy wondered if that really was her in the photo. The Lucy from last time would never come back. If it did, it would never be the same way again.

"Are you sure you're alright now?" Layla Heartfillia gave her daughter sympathizing looks. She had returned quickly from her overseas business trip upon hearing Lucy's voice again. She had wanted to talk to her daughter but she remained lock-up in her room, feigning ignorance to the world around her. She was both glad and relieved that Lucy had finally come out of her shell and had even planned to attend school again.

"Yes, mom. I'm fine. Besides, I haven't gone to school for almost a month. If I don't show my face, I might not graduate. I'm going." Lucy said, giving her mom a wave before leaving.

"I guess, I've gotten a little thinner. The ring's loose. I have to make sure it doesn't fall off." Lucy wiped her eyes and realized that tear droplets had already escaped. She had to be strong. She knew she had to move on. Upon entering the classroom, gasps and shouts reverberated around the small space. She was at a loss for words so she stayed where she was.

"Lu-chan." Levy went up to her to hug her but she refused and gave her a sad little smile. Levy understood and squeezed her hands instead. Lucy just could not afford to get close to people like before.

"Lucy! We were so worried." Erza said, mimicking Levy's actions. "We thought you'd never come back. Please come to school everyday. Levy and I will never be complete without you.

"Thank you, you two. You girls are the best thing a girl could wish for. Well, of course the guys would agree too." With that, the three burst into laughter and Lucy felt like some part of her had returned. The one who loved her friends. _I'm so glad everything is still the same. Nothing has changed at all. The only thing missing is…Natsu._

_I have to get used to this scene from now on._

"Speaking of which, do you know about it Lucy?" Levy said, her teary-self quickly fading with the assurance that Lucy was indeed feeling much better than before.

"Yes, I believe he looked somewhat like Natsu. The resemblance is quite similar. When he transferred, I almost thought he was Natsu. Except for the fact that he has blonde hair and gave off an aura I can't really explain." Erza said, nodding at Levy's statement.

"What are you talking about? Who transferred?" Lucy said, already curious about the transfer student. She felt a chill run down her spine but she waved it off, thinking that her return to school had made her nervous.

"As I was saying, Lu-chan…" The door rattled open behind Lucy but her attention was focused on Levy. "About Sting-kun…"

Lucy veered her head around and Sting's emotionless face greeted her. It was the same as the time during Natsu's funeral. Her heart beat wildly and she noticed Sting did in fact remind of her Natsu. They were brothers, after all. Surely, they would resemble each other but this…

His hair was parted to the left while the other half was slicked up just like Natsu's. How his hair was spiky just like Natsu's. Even his physique was similar to Natsu.

"Morning, Sting-kun." Levy waved from behind Lucy. Erza gave him a nod as greeting. The girls were squealing their lungs out and she hated the fact that she was the only one unnerved by his presence. During their childhood days and even during Natsu's funeral, Sting's hair was flat on his head and covered his eyes a lot. Now she realized how ice-blue it was, completely different from Natsu's black ones. Why does Sting have this appearance that look like Natsu?

"Lucy." Sting said, approaching her ever so slowly. Lucy backed away, too shocked for words. He towered over her and she felt frightened. Frightened by the fact that every time she saw Sting, Natsu's face would always pop out in her head. Would he continue blaming her for her sins?

"Thank goodness. You're alright now." Sting hugged her and the only reaction she gave was that her eyes had almost popped out of their sockets. "I've been attending this school all this time. Let's catch up after school, alright?"

"Huh?" _My head can't follow it at all. Who was that? Was that really Sting?_ She saw him talking to the fellow boys, joking around and even giving them a playful slap on the back. Sting would never laugh with his friends like Natsu does? Also Sting was angry at her and even said 'It's all your fault!"

Why was she acting this way? It's not like she really knew who Sting was. Maybe the years apart from Natsu had changed him. She remembered how she, together with Natsu, protected Sting from bullies long time ago. He was always with Natsu and took little notice of his surroundings or other people. He was timid and always hid behind Natsu's back. This was one of the reasons why he was always picked on. They were all best friends until Sting pushed her down the stairs that fateful day. She kept it a secret from Natsu and passed it off as being careless. Knowing Natsu, he would be deeply hurt and mad if she told him that his own brother was the one who had done the act.

When she compared Sting to then and now, he was completely different. He had an air of arrogance and pride. He had also grown taller than her. Last time, he pulled at her skirt from behind, afraid of stray dogs from the park. Now, he was at least a head or two taller than her. Sting is…

"That's right, Sting. I've decided that you will play the penalty game today." Gray said, giving him a noogy on the head. "You'll do one lap around the campus in only your boxers. How's that?"

"Don't turn me into you, man? I love being naked but that view is for girls only. I didn't realize you became a girl overnight." With that, he earned a guffaw from the guys and a blush from the girls. He did as he was told though and stripped down, leaving him only in his boxers. Lucy had to look away from it all but the temptation to look poked at her like a sharp knife. Lucy, you just lost Natsu. What the heck are you doing? The guys love him even Gray. It was like how they always treated Natsu.

"Guess, I can't help it. I'll meet you guys up after I complete it." Sting, then, ran out of the door he entered before and began running his one round. Lucy pursed her lips and went out of the door as well. It was not like she could stop him. She placed her arms behind her back and made her way up the stairs. Right now, she wanted to be alone and that was the only place that was deserted.

The last bell rang and she stood up, dusting her skirt. Her hair looked like the waves in the sea as the breeze carried it in its arms. It was not in her nature to skip class but just being there at that place made her feel free. She made sure that everyone had left before she sneakily entered the classroom and took her bag making a quick get-away. A hand on her shoulder made her stop in her tracks and screamed so loud, the windows almost cracked.

"Did I surprise you, Blondie? I guess I did a lot of surprising things today." Sting smirked down at her, his right arm raised above his shoulder holding onto his book-bag.

"What would you call surprising, anyhow? Don't call me blondie, you're blonde too. Or have you forgotten that fact."

"Well, there's a lot of things I need to…talk to you about. I guess, I'll start with the reason why I'm here. You see, my mom's become fragile after what happened to Natsu so I ended up staying with her. I'll be attending this school from now on." Sting said, rubbing the back of his neck. Lucy looked far from pleased. "That's not what you wanted to hear, I suppose."

"You want to know why I'm in this get-up, don't you? Well, long story short Blondie; my mom feels better whenever I act like Natsu." Sting continued all seriousness in his voice. "I'm fine with that though. It makes me feel like nii-san is still with me and I feel relieved."

"Lucy, I'm sorry for blaming you when we were at the funeral. When Natsu died, it was painful and saddening to the point that I felt like the world was ending. However, no matter how sad it is. The world will never end."

"Sting…" Lucy said, the hostility she felt towards him disappearing with every sentence.

"I figured it out after meeting everyone in class and laughing with them. Now, I have a fun feeling inside of me. Hey Lucy, I wonder if this is how people, make precious things into memories?" Sting said, the gloominess of his words made her want to hug him. It made her remember about Natsu.

_Make Natsu…into a memory? Make those lovely, joyful days…little by little…into memories?_

_Both Sting and me?_

She gave a little chuckle and said, "You know, up until now, I didn't know that Sting and Natsu were alike. Now I realized, you really are brothers after all, aren't you? Like this, it's as if Natsu's here. Hey Sting, what's the **real** reason you're acting like Natsu?" Lucy said, eyeing him straight looking for any change in expression. She crossed her arms around her mid-section, observing Sting's every move.

"What are you talking about Lucy? That is the reason." Sting said, maintaining his composed face.

"I know how much you loved Natsu. You, yourself, know how much you loved Natsu. I love him too. That's why I can never turn Natsu into something like a memory. I just can't." Lucy shook her head trying to keep the tears at bay.

"I know it's my fault that Natsu died and I can never forgive myself for that. There's no way Natsu can forgive me either. Isn't that right, Sting?"

"I don't know what to say to that." Sting laughed but it held no traces of humor. "It's as exactly as you said."

"Sting." Lucy felt him grab her hand and took her up to the place she was minutes ago.

"Where's Lucy? We searched for her everywhere. Maybe she went home already." Erza exhaled a breath she was holding and peeked into their empty classroom from the front door. She noticed Lucy's bag was no longer at her chair and she motioned Levy to follow her and head home. It was starting to get dark and it would be dangerous to stay in school that late.

"I guess, she still needs time to adjust and be back to the old Lu-chan. I hope the old Lu-chan will come back soon. The one who always smiled and laughed, no matter what she faced. I really miss her." Levy said, earning a pat from Erza.

"I'm guessing you're friends should be looking for you right about now. Nee, Lucy, when you look at it this way, it doesn't seem like the roof's pretty high up, right?" Sting smirked, his hand covering Lucy's mouth. He was leaning on top of her making the upper half of her body lean out over the rooftop's railings.

"Natsu died from getting hit by a truck. The injuries on his corpse were pretty awful, weren't they? I wonder if a person's body can turn into that." As soon as his last word sank in, Lucy tensed below him afraid of his next course of action.

"Do you want to taste what death is like, Lucy?"

**I wrote more than expected and I'm really tired. Oh well, it was rather fun writing this. **** I know how Sting's acting but I have to do this to make the story interesting. Anyway, I'll probably won't touch this for a few days since I'll be focusing on my other two stories. Please Read and Review. I hope you guys enjoy reading it. Nightmare Key signing off.**


	4. Chapter 4

**Nightmare Key here! Thank you for all who have read this. I know I left it at a cliffhanger the last time. Sorry about that. For now, let's get on with the story. I present Chapter 4.**

Lucy struggled to try and push Sting's weight off her but it proved to be too difficult. He was too heavy and she was afraid to cause any more sudden movements as the railing beneath her seemed to creak in response to her every twist.

"If you fell from here…I wonder if you'd end up like that too, Lucy?"

_No! I don't want this! _Those words came out as unintelligent babbling as Sting covered her mouth even roughly with his left hand while his right fiddled with the end of Lucy's hair. Testing their silkiness between his thumb and forefinger.

"If you struggle, I'll make you fall right now. It's alright, isn't it? With this, Lucy will be able to go to the world where Natsu is." Sting said, the corners of his mouth lifting slightly to form a sly grin.

_Natsu? _That's right, she would be with Natsu and everything would be alright. All this suffering would end. His voice calling her name was the only thing that filled her mind at that moment and she felt a sense of happiness wash through her as she saw Natsu, the Natsu she remembered and loved. Joining him would be the greatest gift since right now, the only thing that greeted her every morning was despair and loneliness.

"Good bye, Lucy."

Sting then leaned forward and took her mouth into his. Sting's ice-blue eyes gauged her reaction but she was too shocked for words to respond. He held onto her shoulders making sure she did not get away and he darted his tongue inside her open mouth. He sucked and claimed her tongue in his, tilting her head upwards slowly to deepen the kiss.

_What is this? What's with this? Stop! _Lucy shoved at his chest but he used his weight to press down on her. She closed her eyes on instinct and Sting closed his. She seemed to be swept in a torrent of emotions. Part of her hated it but another part of her loved it. To be doing this with the brother of her boyfriend, not even a month after his passing was just unheard of. _Help me, Natsu!_

Upon breaking lip contact, Sting gave her a smirk full of triumph. Triumph of making her feel so torn apart? Lucy could only continue to look up at him as the starting droplets of the coming rain dripped onto her cheeks leaving a wet trail from her face to her uniform.

"Ah, it's raining. Let's head back inside before it gets worse, shall we?" Sting said, placing his hands in his pockets and had begun to walk away from Lucy's slumped figure.

"Why did you do something...something so horrible? Answer me, Sting!" Lucy shivered, her hand covering her mouth.

"Did you really think I'd kill you? Nee, you asked about it didn't you, Lucy? You said, 'What's the real reason that you're acting like Natsu?'" Sting replied, his back facing Lucy as he continued. "You stole my precious Natsu away from me so…I won't let you enjoy something like death."

"I want to see Lucy's suffering face. For that reason, wouldn't using Natsu's appearance be…the most effective?" Sting turned his head around and the wind whipped his hair around, letting Lucy see just how dangerously evil the person in front of her was. A person who wanted her to suffer so much. His eyes devoid of emotion, she felt like she would be consumed by it if she kept on looking at those fathomless orbs.

"See you tomorrow, Lucy." Sting opened the door and left Lucy wide-eyed and speechless. The rain came down on her and she was soaking wet when she had returned home.

Drying her hair after a long, hot bath made her feel refreshed but deep inside she was torn to pieces. Sitting down at the edge of the bed, she grabbed the photo frame where her smiling face as well as Natsu's greeted her.

"Geez, it's Natsu's fault. It's because Natsu was soft on Sting that he…he grew up with a brother complex. What's worse, he hates me to the core! That's why something like that really makes me so frustrated. It's annoying!" Her kiss with Sting kept on replaying in her head and she rubbed at her lips furiously with the back of her hand. Tears began forming at the corners of her eyes and she let them fall.

Remembering Natsu's kisses and how gentle and sweet they were as compared to Sting's rough and sudden kiss made the tears flow faster.

"Natsu…" That's right; she would never see his smile again. She would no longer be able to touch him either. _'Wouldn't using Natsu's appearance be…the most effective?'_

Even though Natsu isn't here anymore. Sting has the same hair…the same build. _He hates me!_

"I don't...want this…Natsu." Lucy continued to rub at her lips until she drew blood. _This is the weight of the sin of killing Natsu._ She put her face into her hands and wept for all that she had lost, not noticing how a dark figure watched her from the shadows of the house just opposite her room.

Sting watched her with a vacant expression and closed the blinds of his room. Opening the closet door and seeing his reflection on the built-in mirror inside it, he touched it and said, "Watch me from now on, Nii-san…"

"Morning Natsu." Lucy hugged the picture frame to her chest and saw the glow of the sun illuminating the nearby houses. Her eyes were a bit puffy from crying all night but she concealed it with some cream. _It's started again. Today is another day without Natsu._

"Morning Lucy!". "Morning Lu-chan!"

Lucy waved at both Erza and Levy and tried to hide the weariness in her voice. "Morning, Lucy."

She released a sigh. _Not forgetting another day with Sting here._ Lucy turned at the sound of his voice and met Sting's grinning face.

"What's wrong, Lucy? You're making such a scary face."

"Quit grinning like Natsu. It's shameful." Lucy said, already making her way to her seat which was the last seat near the window. When she saw Sting grinning like nothing happened, she could have thought that yesterday had just been a dream. The only thing that she was certain of is that Sting would be here from now on. _Sting is…scary._

Lucy gazed longingly at the seat right beside hers and a smile broke out on her face. "I want to see you so badly, Natsu." She whispered and sat down on her seat. Seating down she saw the times that Natsu and her had spent together during class.

"_Lucy…there's something making you feel bad?" Natsu said, a pout on his face._

_ "There's nothing like that, seriously. Do I really look like I have a problem?" _

"_You sure? You're stomach has been growling since just now though. I know I'll grab some peanut-butter toast at the cafeteria." Natsu was already gung-ho to go down when Lucy pulled at his collar and sat him back down._

_ "Firstly, the only problem here is that my stomach isn't the one that's growling, it's yours. Secondly, peanut butter toast is your favorite. Mine is strawberry jam or have you forgotten." Lucy huffed out a breath and was confused whether she should smack him hard or just laugh at how he looked so panic-stricken by her comment. She just could not take anymore of Natsu's hilarious face that she burst out laughing. Natsu was puzzled by this but joined in a second later. _

"_Sorry about that. If anything happens though, promise you'll tell me." Natsu gave her his signature grin and it melt her heart at seeing how sweet he was._

_ "Yeah, I promise."_

When she sat there, relief coursed through her and as she closed her eyes, it felt to her like Natsu was sitting next to her. Relaxing her head on her arm, the good old times with Natsu came to her easily. However, a clatter beside her made her jolt upright knocking her chair down as she stood.

"First period was Math wasn't it, Lucy?" Sting plopped down onto Natsu's seat like he was meant to be there. It irritated her and she began shouting at him, gaining her classmates' attention.

"Why is Sting sitting here?! That's Natsu's seat. That's not your place. Hurry up and get out!" Lucy tossed her Maths Assessment book, which was prepared beforehand on her table, at him. It only managed to smack his elbow as he blocked it with ease. The room was filled with loud chatter as they watched Lucy with surprised faces.

"Lucy! What's wrong? Calm Down!" Erza motioned her to sit back down while Levy held onto her from the back preventing her from going all out on Sting.

"Sting is…Sting is sitting in Natsu's seat like he wants…" Lucy yelled over the noise of the mumbles of the others who stood to witness her outburst.

"You're wrong, Lu-chan. Sting-kun has been sitting there because the teacher told him to. You see, up until now, Sting-kun has been sitting in a row that was disconnected because there weren't enough seats. That's why; for the sake of finally adjusting the seats…the teacher sat him in Natsu's seat."

"Sorry, Lucy. That's the reason why I'll be sitting here." Sting played with Lucy's book, smiling ever so slightly at how uncomfortable his sitting there made her feel. The bell rang and the rest hurriedly went to their seats. Erza and Levy gave Lucy unsure looks before she told them she'll be fine and that they need to sit down before the teacher got there. They nodded in unison and walked off.

"You don't need to be so scared, Lucy. I won't do something in the classroom like I did yesterday." Lucy's heartbeat thumped wildly in her chest. She clasped her hands tightly and brought it to her face. _Cut it out. That's Natsu's seat. Don't hate me with the same appearance as Natsu. Don't do something like sit in the seat next to me. _She wanted to yell it at him, to let him know how much his mere presence irritated her beyond comprehension. Yet it died at her throat when the door opened and the teacher came in to start the first lesson of the day.

Lunch came and as Lucy started to wash her face, Levy and Erza came up to her. It was probably going to be about her weird behavior before. "You sure did surprise us earlier, Lucy."

"I'm sorry, you two. I even dragged you guys into it."

"Don't worry, it's fine. As long as you've calmed down, Lu-chan. Then, shall we head back to the classroom?" Levy said, adjusting her yellow-striped headband.

_I don't want to go back to the classroom. I'm scared of going back to being…beside Sting._

"I'm sorry. As I thought, go on without me."

"Lucy!" They both screamed after her but she had already ran a good distance and knew they would not be able to find where she was. She heard the bell marking the end of lunch break and knew the exact place where she could get a breather.

Sting glanced at the table beside him and gave a satisfied smirk. Seeing Lucy so uncomfortable and pissed off was entertaining. His real motive was to make her suffer. Burn in her mind the reason why he no longer had his brother with him. The reason why he'll make her life a living hell. It was only the beginning and the things he had in store for her would be much worse than what had occurred at the rooftop, that he can promise her.

"Sting-kun, what do we do? School's already over. I wonder where Lu-chan went…" Levy stared at Erza, her worry flowing off her in waves.

"Lucy hasn't come back at all. She left her bag and phone in her bag. We went looking for her but we couldn't find her. Levy and I have to go off for our part-time jobs so we really have to go…"

"That's…a big problem. I'll go look for her then. With this, that should solve it."

"Really?! Thanks, Sting-kun. Please tell Lucy for us that we'll listen to whatever problem she might have so don't hesitate to tell us. We are her friends, after all. It's the least we can do."

"You know, about Lucy. I think it will take a lot of time for her to recover from the wound of Natsu dying. I think it would do her some good if you could lend her some of your strength, Sting. You seem really close with her so we'll be counting on you from now on." Erza said, her gaze straight-on Sting as if she was baring her heart to him.

"Don't worry, I'll make sure she won't have a chance to hide back in her shell."

Erza did not question him for his choice of words. She and Levy slung their bags on their shoulder as they made off in a hurry. Sting knew exactly what to do but for his plan to work, he had to get the lead star to play her role.

"_I've found you, Lucy. Oh, I've found another lovely part of Lucy I love." Natsu snuggled closer to her, kissing a trail from her back to her nape. Lucy was as red as a tomato and screamed her protests, finding it ticklish._

"_When I touch Lucy's hair, it feels good…since it's really pretty."_

_ "Is that so?" Lucy turned her head slightly to see Natsu behind her, twiddling strands of her silky hair with his long, lean hands. _

"_Yeah, it's pretty. I love it." Natsu proved it by kissing it gently and Lucy had to tamp down the ever-growing temptation of ruffling his pink hair. She hoped that they would stay like this forever._

_ "Then for Natsu's sake, I won't cut it."_

"_Really? I love you, Lucy. I'll say it a thousand times and a thousand more. So Lucy, stay by my side forever."_

_ "Baka! Of course, I will. I love you too much to go anywhere else. Well, if you're with me I don't really mind. Then, you have to promise you'll stay with me too." She held up her pinky finger to Natsu and it made her feel like they were little kids again._

"_I promise." Natsu returned the gesture and grinned at her._

"Natsu!" Lucy got up and hit her head on one of the classroom's tables. Wincing, she rubbed the sore spot on her head and realized it was already dark outside. Making her way back to the classroom, she marveled the silence and was rather fascinated by how the moonlight formed shadows using the trees. Being afraid of something appearing, a ghost perhaps, she doubled her speed towards her classroom. When she reached it, her relief was seen evident on her face. Going to the window, she sat on her bottom. The darkness welcoming.

"I wonder if everyone already went home. Has Sting gone home too? Wait…what am I doing? Doing something like running away from Sting and hiding in an unused classroom for the entire day. Even though, doing this is useless."

Lucy took her hair into her hands, her eyes already swimming with tears saying, "I had a nostalgic dream. Natsu…why aren't you here?"

"I found you, Lucy."

Lucy sprung away and released a frightened scream. It was Sting. He was still here. She had to get as far away from him as possible. Far, far away. She made a dash for the door but Sting was not far behind. Throwing the door open, she ran for dear life.

"Wait. Why are you running away? Just when I went to all the trouble of looking for you…"

_Why was Sting still here? I have to escape! I don't want something like yesterday to happen again. I don't want it! Natsu!_

Lucy felt her foot twist and she lost her balance. She came crashing down with a thud and she felt the throbbing pain in her right ankle. Turning around and expecting the worse, she found no-one. There was no sign of anyone in the hallway and Lucy's heart beat wildly in her chest. Maybe she had been too scared. Maybe Sting didn't intend to do anything with her. Thinking that hiding for the time being would be a good choice, she tried opening the door of the nearby classrooms. They were all lock except for one and she flinched when the door rattled open. Quickly shutting it close, she surveyed whether there was anyone outside. There was nobody.

"This place…is the only one open? Thank goodness, I should be safe for a little while…" A mangled scream escaped from her as she felt strong hands wrapped around her chest. Her back to his front.

"I caught you, Lucy."

**Well, I'm going to end this with another cliffhanger. I'm already starting on the next chapter so don't you guys worry. Anyway, until the next chapter. Nightmare Key signing off. **


	5. Chapter 5

**Nighmare Key here! **** As I've stated I've already started writing this chapter so I hope it's good enough. The last chapter has been full of suspense and for this chapter; we'll be learning something about Sting. To find out, read on. Hehe. Presenting Chapter 5. **

"I was right to leave one classroom unlocked. I thought you'd run here. Hey, Lucy…have you noticed? Surely, right now, it's just the two of us at school." Sting said, his hands crawling ever-so slowly to the hem of her skirt, touching her thighs. He began pulling it upwards leaving goose bumps where he had touched her. Her hands intercepted his hands from going any further and sensing her restlessness, Sting touched his lips to her nape.

Lapping her delicious skin, his right hand continued to hike her skirt up while his left wrapped around her, holding her in place. Leaving a glistening stream of saliva at Lucy's neck, he raised his head and began smelling her hair.

"Lucy's hair smells nice. It's really pretty. Natsu said that before too. He said he liked Lucy's hair. You told him that you wouldn't cut it just for him. You promised that to him. He seemed really happy when he told me." Lucy clung to his arms, preventing him from whatever more he was going to do to her.

"How nostalgic…" Sting removed his hand from her thighs and went for his vest pocket, which held a pen-knife inside.

The next thing Lucy knew, her precious hair on the right side of her face had been chopped off. It lay on the floor and she felt like one of the things connecting her to Natsu had been severed from her life.

"Ahhh, what a shame. I cut the hair that Natsu loved."

_"I won't cut it for Natsu's sake…I promise."_

"Natsu…Natsu. Natsu. Nooo!" Sting pointed the pen-knife on Lucy's face. "What are you doing? Sting…"

There was a loud clatter as they fell down on the floor. Lucy tried to wiggle herself free from Sting's grasp. Sting then placed both her hands over her head and secured it firmly with his left hand. His other hand held the pen-knife and ripped the first button on Lucy's shirt. She felt captive by his piercing stare. Her long hair at her left side covering her face as she struggled. Her right felt lighter due to that part of her hair getting cut off. The hair there was so short; it ended just below her chin. She probably looked like a mess but that was not the problem at hand.

"Let go of me…Sting…No. Enough. Please." Lucy could hear the loud thumping of her heart in her chest. The quietness of the room made it all the louder, deafening her. Sting continued lower, shredding her clothes in the process. Her shirt was bared open and her skirt was left in tatters. Her black satin underwear visible to his gaze. He did nothing to hide the lust and the enjoyment he was getting from his little game.

"You've gotten extremely quiet all of a sudden. You don't want Natsu to help you anymore?" Sting pressed the pen-knife in between her thighs, too close for comfort. A remaining piece of her skirt remained and he began to rip it. He then bowed down licking Lucy's cheeks. His tongue laving her from one cheek to the other. She cringed away from more of his licks but could get nowhere as he pressed his full weight on her. He pressed his knee onto the heat of her and she stifled a moan, not wanting to let him know he affected her.

_I need to escape. How do I do that? Even if I cry out, I'm sure that no one's here. Also, something like shaking Sting off is…_

_His grip has loosened a little now. He thinks that I won't resist anymore and he's let his guard down. If that's the case, I might be able to escape. If I give it my all, I might be able to do it. It's all right. I can do this!_

She pushed Sting off her and watched his impassive face. Getting to her feet, she made a quick get-away. Just as she was about to reach the door handle, Sting got a hold of the remainder of her long, wavy hair and pulled. A tear escaped her eye from the pain as she was roughly pulled back, her back getting scraped by the floor beneath her. The remainder of her shirt prevented friction from scoring her back. Sting raised the pen-knife with a shout and Lucy could only close her eyes and block her face in utter defeat. She awaited the pain that was to follow yet she felt nothing. She slowly opened her eyes and saw that Sting had stabbed the floor mere inches away from her face.

"I didn't think you would try to escape. I let my guard down. Now that I think about it, even in the past, Lucy would retaliate whenever she was cornered. Oh, you made me remember something. I remember how in the past I was always getting bullied by everyone."

"The one who would always help me was Natsu. To me, he was my hero." Sting saw it in his mind as clear as if it had only happened yesterday.

"_I've come to save you, Sting!" An eight-year old Natsu grinned offering his outstretched hand to Sting who was filled with bruise marks all over._

"But, do you remember? When Natsu wasn't there, Lucy would protect me."

_"Don't bully Sting-kun." A younger Lucy said, holding her hands up and making herself a shield. _

"Even though Lucy was probably scared, she desperately stayed there while she was shaking. That made me really happy."

"Nee, Lucy, should we play a little game now? If you win, as thanks for what you did in the past, I'll let you escape today." Sting slipped off the tie around his neck and used it as a blindfold. He tied it around Lucy's eyes while he used the remainder of her shirt and used that to tie her hands together behind her back. He tightened it just enough so that she would not be able to remove it herself.

"No…wait…What are you doing, Sting?"

"The rules are simple, Lucy. All you have to do is walk down to the end of the corridor. However, you have to do it dressed as you are now." Lucy blushed the same shade as Erza's hair and bit down on her lip. Noting how she felt barer than ever. She knew she was now only in her underwear and was on her knees in front of Sting. The thought of Sting looking at her, made her feel conscious.

"Are you an idiot, you pervert? What are you thinking?"

Sting lifted her chin and said, "What am I thinking, you ask? Of course, I'm just thinking of how to make Lucy suffer."

Lucy understood it even if she could not see it…Sting's madness.

"But you know, I really did plan on letting you escape today. But even so, you ignored me too much, didn't you? Well, if you refused to play this game…I wonder what I should do after this. Do you think you understand?" Sting chuckled to himself as he fantasized the torture he was planning on doing if she ever refused to do it.

"It's fine, Lucy, there's no-one in the corridor. The only one who will see is me. If you want to escape while you're dressed like that, it's fine."

The door rattled open and Sting said, "Come on, hurry up and come out. I'll watch from the other side of the corridor."

_What is Sting talking about? I don't understand. It all seems like a bad dream. Even though it would be fine if…this had all been a bad dream since Natsu died._

Lucy got up and went out of the door, her heart a beating drum in her chest. She placed one foot forward and then the other and before she knew it, she was walking forward. _What am I doing? Something like this is unbelievable. Yet, I want to escape quickly. I want this to end quickly. No matter what, I want to escape from Sting. This is scary. This is embarrassing. Sting…_

Lucy staggered and her knees went weak. She landed on Sting's arms and he caught her, slipping off the blindfold from her eyes. He started to take off her shirt which acted as binds. "Good work. With this, you have finished the game. I will let you escape today…as I promised. If you want clothes, you can wear your gym clothes. It's gotten late so take care going home, okay?"

Lucy glared at him and pulled away, taking her shirt from him to cover herself as she sprinted away. She could hear Sting's laughter echoing through the narrow hallway and she flinched, doubling her speed.

Sting wound the tie he used to blindfold Lucy back on his uniform. He approached one of the windows and glanced at his reflection, placing both hands on the glass.

"Nee, nii-san, did you see that? Lucy is an idiot, isn't she? Even though I only let her go for today, she was that desperate! Watch from now on, nii-san, the Lucy who killed Natsu…I will definitely continue to make her suffer. Nii-san…say something. Why? Why are you dead?" Sting pressed his head on the glass, imploring his reflection to reply back.

"_Sting."_

"Nii-san…Nii-san, is that you?" Sting smiled, hearing Natsu's voice and seeing him. Natsu, though, had a grave expression. Unlike the Natsu he knew very well.

"_Sting, quit doing things like this. You understand that it wasn't Lucy's fault that I'm dead, don't you?"_

"Nii-san, what are you say…"

"_Because Sting…you don't really want Lucy to suffer. That's why you let her escape today."_

"You're wrong!" Sting shouted, his voice distant and unfamiliar to him.

"_Sting, I understand. You really… About Lucy…"_

Sting's hair fell to his eyes and he felt weird, like what Natsu had said hit the bulls-eye.

"What are you saying, nii-san? You're wrong! You're wrong! You're wrong!" Sting said as he repeatedly slammed his knuckles on the window. It smashed into a million pieces and the glass shards glittered from the moonlight as it reflected off them. Blood ran down his knuckles and dripped onto the shards. The blood turning the glass shards red.

"How ridiculous. What the hell am I doing? These are just my stupid delusions. Lucy killed Natsu. I won't forgive Lucy. I…hate Lucy. Hate…Hate…Hate her." He gave out a sigh as he tried to collect himself. He saw something gleaming in the distance and went up to it. _Lucy's…ring?_

"Lucy sure is an idiot. Doing something like dropping something she cherished. Hey Nii-san…there's only one reason to let Lucy escape right?" Sting clenched the ring in his hand until his hand turned white. Uncaring of the blood that slid down his arm to his elbow, he smirked at the sight.

"Because the game of tag has only just begun."

Lucy immersed herself in the bathtub and let her hand stray to her hair. She fixed it herself but she wondered whether it looked weird. Her once long, wavy hair was now of chin-length and she missed the feeling of her hair swishing behind her back every time she moved. It's all so unbelievable. It's like Sting was still watching her. His gaze was left throughout her body. She gave a slight shiver and held up her hand which had the ring on. She stood up, upon realizing that the ring was not on her finger. _Where is it? Don't tell me I dropped it? What should I do? I need to find it quickly!_

Morning came and Lucy went to the classroom early to look below the seats and see if it had rolled there. There was no-one in the classroom yet and she was glad for it. She started from the back and was getting more fidgety as she had not seen any sign of it anywhere. As she got closer to the front, tears spilled from her eyes and she wiped them away with shaky hands. Burying her face into her hands, she felt herself breaking down. _What should I do? At this rate, if I can't find it, I…No…Natsu!_

"Morning, Lucy! Is this what you're looking for?" Sting held onto the ring between his thumb and forefinger and he was smirking down at her.

"Why do you have it? Give it back!" Lucy said, trying to snatch it away from his fingers. Sting pushed her to the nearest wall and she felt the air rush out of her.

"Lucy, do you want me to give back the ring no matter what? Then, shall we play the game that we did yesterday?"

"The rules are the same. However, the only change is that there are lots of people in the corridor today…what will you do?"

"I don't believe this! How much of a pervert, are you?" Lucy pointed an accusing finger at him yet he only looked at her straight-on, his smirk still in place.

"Does that mean you can't do it? You don't need the ring?"

Lucy closed her eyes and saw Natsu's smiling face. She would do anything for him, even if it meant this. Despite the growing fear that more people would be able to witness her, she thought of how Natsu was grinning happily when he gave her that ring. Of how, his feelings reached her when he presented that to her.

Lucy unbuttoned her shirt and without waiting for Sting, bared her white polka-dot bra. "You'll really give it back, won't you?"

"Lucy…"

"Because I managed to do it yesterday…I'll do it! It'll be fine if I do it, right? So definitely…definitely give it back!" Lucy reached towards the door handle.

"No!" Sting embraced her and Lucy could not help but notice his pained expression. His eyes closed, holding her close like she was a jewel in a gold mine. _What? Why is Sting making that sort of face?_

"What are you saying 'no' for, Sting?"

"Are you an idiot, Lucy? If you really did that how much of an uproar do you think it would make? Lucy…" Sting hugged her to him even tighter. _What is this? Why is he hugging me gently like Natsu?_

"Is the ring really that important to you?"

_Is he pretending to be Natsu again to confuse me? This isn't Natsu…this isn't Natsu. Natsu isn't here anymore. _"Of course, it's important. That should be obvious! That ring was the first… and the last thing that Natsu gave me…It's more important than anything! I'll do whatever it takes to get it back…"

"Lucy…"

_These aren't Natsu's arms. So…why is Sting making that face?_ He looked worried and concerned about her yet she was confused whether it was real or another façade. Sting squeezed the hand which held onto the ring shut and then opened it again, to display the ring.

"I understand, Lucy. Of course…"Sting hesitated but continued on, "It's because you loved Natsu."

"Sting…"

Sting brought her chin up and she saw once again, the hatred back in his eyes. He exclaimed, "In other words, this ring…is more valuable than I thought."

"Abandoning you when you're bare like this…and forcing you to do things is simple, but…that would mean that letting you escape the day before was pointless. If Lucy was to suffer, it has to be something more terrible. I have to torment you in the most hurtful way possible, right?" Sting tilted her head and kissed her full on the lips.

She slapped him hard across the face and the sound of her hand meeting flesh resounded through the whole room. A red mark marred Sting's cheek yet that smirk returned to his face and he said, "If you really want the ring, come to my room tonight. The one that used to be Natsu's room. If you don't come and you try to take it back by force, I'll make sure you never get it back."

Sting left the room and Lucy fumbled with her shirt button, trying to close it. _What was with Sting's expression just then? Was he pretending to be like Natsu just as I thought? I don't know. What I do understand is that Sting hates me…and when he says he'll do something, he'll definitely do it. If I run away, he definitely won't return it. Natsu…Natsu…I haven't prepared a way out._

**That's all for now. I'm feeling really tired but I wanted to put this up right away. Please Read and Review. As always, Nightmare Key signing off. **


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